By Aatika Choudry
Without even knowing, while perceiving you are powerful, you are in fact deaf, dumb and blind. Your ears are plugged so the truth is blocked from being heard, with your eyes closed you become blind to reality, and while your cold heart is sealed, you perpetuate hurt and feel no empathy. You wreak havoc as you swing your loaded guns here, there and everywhere, triggered by the slightest of disturbances, oblivious to the destruction you cause. When you’re not centered correctly, not tethered to a Higher Power, nor grounded by humanity, you take command from none other than arrogant agendas, and are guided by greed.
And so, marches of war with heavy artillery lead to marches of death with tiny coffins.
Songs in the streets that once brought delight to the heart are replaced by cries that pierce it and squeals of laughter, with agonizing anguish. Bloodshot eyes searching for help only find hospitals with deceased doctors and spilled medicines from shattered bottles.
What a time this is when one reporting that truth faces more danger than a soldier in the direct line of fire. Smart technology is in the hands of the ignorant, personal devices are as deadly as steered missiles, and the power of propaganda is narrated by the narcissist.
Oh, but promises were made for those who side with integrity by the One who is the King of us all, promises seen fulfilled in the past if you reflect, with your eyes, ears and heart. And this gives me nothing less than my formidable faith and bold bravery.
Nothing short than a miraculous gift, I have a special time when the world sleeps, but the Master of the Universe directly listens to the whispers of my aching heart and can open a window through which I can communicate with Him. I have in my vault an arrow that does not miss its target; A prayer made on my knees, with head to the dust, and tears soaking the ground, that brings forth glorious, unexpected victory as the icon of warriors told his armies. And my plea to the Almighty becomes mightier than your weapons of mass destruction.
In the face of fierce tanks, my courage will make you quiver. With loaded arms pointed at me, I walk even taller towards the enemy. Lies to defame me are spread in print, press and word, yet I remain calm for I know He will reveal the truth you tried to bury, and the displayed banners of your falsehood will fall. In my small, single being I have more strength than your masses combined.
When the ink has dried on this era and you and I are long gone, you will then see what being on the wrong side of history will have cost you. You will see that principle did prevail, that the courageous innocents were victorious despite all odds. The once glistening empires with all their seemingly indestructible might will have crumbled into heaps of dull remnants of glory.
There is no might nor height worthy in front of Him and His Plan. Nothing will change His Decree. His Promise will be fulfilled. The oppressed, in tragedies hidden and in those that openly shook the world, those no one witnessed and those that went viral, will triumph.
Your day of reckoning will be my day of rejoice and your deep regret, my overwhelming relief.
About the Author:
Aatika is a second generation Muslim American who strives to make her local and global community a better place, break stigmas that hold us back and engage in civic duty to unify. She holds a M.Sc. in Adolescent Psychology and has been working in the field of education administration for over 15 years in Islamic Schools. She remains involved in Islamic work through volunteering in various projects, relief work and writing, and is a continuous student of Islam. She is raising three children in NJ.
Instagram handle @aatikach